{"podcast":{"title":"A History of Italy","slug":"a-history-of-italy-1607818","podcast_index_feed_id":1607818,"rss_url":"https://feeds.captivate.fm/a-history-of-italy/","website_url":"https://www.sentiremedia.com/show/ahistoryofitalypodcast/","image_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/36063946-8d71-4a57-ba2f-80768ad44e21/015740af6ddd05c355ff5e4ba3c33625.jpg","author":"Mike Corradi","episode_count":306,"summary":"Join history buff, Mike Corradi on a journey through time as he unfolds the rich tapestry of the Italian peninsula's history. This chronological story starts with the collapse of the Western Roman Empire and leads you through the most iconic events, influential figures, and cultural milestones that have shaped Italy into what we see today. It’s all serious stuff, but we do take time to stop and laugh at battles over a bucket, rude names, naughty priests and popes, rabbits winning sieges, doves winning battles, bits of dead bodies as tokens of love, and whole series of real historical silly situations that no comedian could think of. Come along every other week for a compelling and insightful glimpse into A History of Italy.","last_synced_at":"2026-08-01T00:18:47.287322+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/a-history-of-italy-1607818"},"episode":{"title":"203 - Piedmont and the Savoy in the early 1500's - How to lose a duchy","slug":"203-piedmont-and-the-savoy-in-the-early-1500-s-how-to-lose-a-duchy","published_at":"2026-03-17T13:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/a-history-of-italy-1607818/203-piedmont-and-the-savoy-in-the-early-1500-s-how-to-lose-a-duchy","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/a-history-of-italy-1607818","url":"https://www.sentiremedia.com/show/ahistoryofitalypodcast/","audio_url":"https://mgln.ai/e/p28996/episodes.captivate.fm/episode/3834e5ed-afa8-4d45-a807-69c57d4ea3c8.mp3","summary":"Episode Overview Continuing our tour of the Italian peninsula in the early 1500s, we move north from the Kingdom of Naples , through the Papal States and Tuscany, across the Apennines, past Genoa, and into what is today the region of Piedmont . In this episode we explore the key political players in the region — the Marquisate of Saluzzo, the Marquisate of Monferrato, and above all the Duchy of Savoy . Once an expanding Alpine power controlling vital mountain passes, Savoy would find itself caught between the ambitions of France and the Habsburg Empire during the Italian Wars. The result was a dramatic collapse that nearly erased the duchy entirely — setting the stage for the unexpected rise of a remarkable new duke. Piedmont: Geography and Historical Context Piedmont today is one of Italy’s 20 regions and is divided into several provinces. In the early 1500s, however, its territories were divided among multiple states, including: The Marquisate of Saluzzo The Marquisate of Monferrato The Duchy of Savoy Some areas, such as Novara , actually belonged to the Duchy of Milan at the time. Strategically located near the Alpine passes, Piedmont became a crucial corridor during the Italian Wars, especially for French armies entering Italy. The Marquisate of Saluzzo Saluzzo maintained strong ties with France. Its influence declined after the death of Marquis Michele Antonio , who was killed fighting for the French in southern Italy. By 1548 , the territory would be absorbed by France. When the French were later expelled in 1601 , Saluzzo became part of the Duchy of Savoy. Piedmont in the Italian Wars The region’s importance stemmed from geography: France needed control of Alpine routes to access Italy. Spain and the Holy Roman Empire sought to block those routes. Control of Pie…","meta_description":"Episode Overview Continuing our tour of the Italian peninsula in the early 1500s, we move north from the Kingdom of Naples , through the Papal States and…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":910,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/a-history-of-italy-1607818/episodes/203-piedmont-and-the-savoy-in-the-early-1500-s-how-to-lose-a-duchy/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/a-history-of-italy-1607818/203-piedmont-and-the-savoy-in-the-early-1500-s-how-to-lose-a-duchy.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}